Manager John Brown admits the match cannot come soon enough for his players.

The Dark Blues host the Buddies as they attempt to recover from Sunday's Scottish Cup defeat by city rivals Dundee United.

Brown's side are bottom of the table by 15 points and many have written them off for the drop back down to the First Division come the end of the season.

But Brown is relishing the chance to pick up his first league win as interim manager and a fighting effort from Dundee to stay up.

He said: "It's another game for the players to look forward to.

"It's always disappointing losing to your biggest rivals in any derby game but we have to move on.

"It's good we have this opportunity to bounce back so soon and hopefully we do our best to take it.

"It promises to be a difficult game but we'll attempt to get the three points as we will do in every game between now and the end of the season."

St Mirren will press ahead without injured skipper Jim Goodwin.

The Buddies face John Brown's men at Dens Park but will travel without Irishman Goodwin while he recovers from a calf strain.

Kenny McLean could return following two months out with a knee injury but long-term casualties Darren McGregor (knee) and Thomas Reilly (ankle) remain on the sidelines.

Boss Danny Lennon believes something will have to give as his top-six chasing side take on relegation-threatened Dundee.

The Buddies boss still believes his Paisley men can bridge a seven-point gap and steer themselves into the top half of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League for the first time.

Winning their game in hand over the rest of the SPL, therefore, would go a long way towards breaking new ground in the top-flight.

But John Brown`s basement boys desperately need the three points too as they strive to complete the most unlikely of escape jobs by reigning in second-bottom Hearts, currently 15 points in front.

Brown was brought in as part of a last-ditch attempt to battle out of the drop zone and for that reason - along with the slim thread that currently holds his own team`s ambitions in place - Lennon claims their meeting will be a win-or-bust encounter.

The St Mirren manager - whose side are unbeaten in their two previous meetings with the Dark Blues this term - told Press Association Sport: "I don't know Bomber (Brown) a great deal but you can see the impact that the change in manager has already had.

"They were unlucky to lose against Dundee United on Sunday in the Scottish Cup and fought back well against St Johnstone to get a draw last week.

"So we know it's going to be a tough game. Even though we have beaten them both times we have played them this season, they were hard games.

"But we are out to show our ambition and if we want to get to where we want to be then, it`s a must-win situation.

"But likewise, if Dundee want to survive, they will need the three points too. Someone will ultimately end up disappointed."